Pa Konate

1.1. Birth and childhood

Konate was born on 25 April 1994, in Malmö, Sweden. His father is of Guinean descent, and his mother is of Gambian descent. He grew up in Malmö, living just a few hundred meters from the Swedbank Stadion, the home ground of Malmö FF. From a young age, Konate was immersed in the football culture of the city, even serving as a ball boy as he progressed through the youth system at Malmö FF.

1.2. Youth career

Konate began his football journey at Malmö FF, joining the club at the age of five. He steadily advanced through the club's youth ranks, playing for their U19 and U21 sides between 2011 and 2012. His dedication and progression earned him a first-team contract on a youth basis with Malmö FF on 23 November 2012, marking his official step towards professional football within the club he had known since childhood.

2.1. Malmö FF

Konate's journey at Malmö FF was a defining period of his early career, where he developed from a youth player into a multiple league champion.


During the 2013 season, Konate appeared three times as an unused substitute in the club's Svenska Cupen matches. He made his Allsvenskan debut for Malmö FF on 17 April 2013, coming on as an 85th-minute substitute in a 2-0 away victory against AIK at Friends Arena. A week later, on 3 May 2013, Konate made his first start for the club, playing 62 minutes in a 1-1 draw against IFK Norrköping. He also contributed by assisting one of Malmö FF's goals in a 6-0 victory over Sävedalens in the second round of the Svenska Cupen. In his debut season, Konate made a total of six appearances, mostly as an oncoming substitute, often replacing Ricardinho. His contributions helped Malmö FF secure the league title on 28 October 2013, with a 2-0 win over IF Elfsborg.

After returning to the club halfway through the 2014 season, Konate made his first appearance on 26 July 2014 against Kalmar, starting the match before being substituted at half-time in a 3-1 win. Upon his return, he competed for a starting position with the established Ricardinho. Konate's breakthrough came on 27 August 2014, when he was selected to start in the crucial UEFA Champions League qualifying play-off against Red Bull Salzburg, a match which Malmö FF won to qualify for the group stage. He went on to make three more appearances in the UEFA Champions League group stage, where the club was ultimately eliminated. His efforts also contributed to Malmö FF winning the league again on 5 October 2014, following a 3-2 victory over AIK. By the end of the 2014 season, he had made 11 appearances across all competitions.

The start of the 2015 season saw Konate's first-team opportunities limited, as Yoshimar Yotún became the preferred left-back. He made his first appearance of the season on 11 May 2015, as a late substitute in a 2-2 draw against IF Elfsborg. During Yotún's absence due to international commitments, Konate made three starts between 3 June and 4 July 2015. Following Yotún's return, Konate was relegated to the substitute bench for three months, making only two appearances during this period. However, once Yotún transitioned to a left-midfield role, Konate began to consistently feature as the starting left-back for the remainder of the 2015 season. He later stated that this consistent first-team involvement significantly boosted his confidence. By the close of the 2015 season, Konate had made 24 appearances in all competitions.

In the 2016 season, Konate started on the substitute bench. His first appearance came on 18 April 2016 against IF Elfsborg, where he played the full game and helped Malmö FF secure a 1-0 win and a clean sheet. This was followed by three more consecutive clean sheets against Djurgårdens IF, IFK Göteborg, and BK Häcken. Konate started the entire game in the Svenska Cupen Final against BK Häcken, which Malmö FF lost 6-5 in a penalty shootout after a 2-2 draw. He regained his first-team place as a left-back for the next two months until he was called up to the Sweden Olympic squad for the Summer Olympics. Upon his return from the tournament, Konate made his first appearance on 22 August 2016, as a 58th-minute substitute in a 4-1 win against Jönköping Södra. However, he subsequently lost his starting left-back position to new signing Behrang Safari and predominantly featured from the substitute bench. Despite this, Konate's contributions helped Malmö FF clinch the league title once more on 26 October 2016, with a 3-0 victory over Falkenberg. He reflected on the season positively, stating he had a "good season" and received "much more matches and more confidence" from manager Allan Kuhn, performing well when given the opportunity. He finished the 2016 season with 24 appearances across all competitions.

Ahead of the 2017 season, Konate was rumored to be transferring from Malmö FF, with interest reported from European clubs like Bordeaux and several Serie A teams. At the beginning of the 2017 season, he made seven appearances for the club, including three starts. His participation was cut short on 8 May 2017, when he suffered a hamstring injury in the 27th minute during a match against IF Elfsborg, which Malmö FF won 2-1. The injury sidelined him for two months, though he returned to training by late June. Konate's final appearance for Malmö FF was on 8 July 2017, where he started and played 81 minutes in a 1-0 victory over BK Häcken. By the time of his departure, he had made nine appearances in all competitions for the club, contributing to Malmö FF's league triumph that season.

2.1.1. Loan to Östers IF

Konate was linked with a move to Landskrona BoIS, but instead opted for a loan spell at newly relegated Superettan side Östers IF for the 2014 season. The agreement included an option for him to return to Malmö FF in the summer of 2014. Concurrently, he extended his contract with Malmö FF for an additional four years.

Konate made his debut for Östers IF in the Svenska Cupen, starting the entire game in a 1-1 draw against Rynninge. In a subsequent Cup match, he assisted a goal in a 5-2 victory against Östersund. He quickly established himself as the starting left-back, making 15 league appearances for Östers IF. This period ended in the summer of 2014 when Malmö FF recalled him to cover for the departures of defenders Miiko Albornoz and Mahmut Özen during the transfer window.

2.2. S.P.A.L.

In the summer of 2017, Konate signed a three-year contract with SPAL, a newly promoted Serie A club. His start at SPAL was challenging as he found himself low in the club's defensive pecking order. Adding to his difficulties, Konate sustained a foot injury in December 2017, which sidelined him for two months. Despite these setbacks, he managed to make two appearances for SPAL during his time there.

2.2.1. Loan to FC Cincinnati

On 31 July 2018, it was announced that Konate had joined FC Cincinnati on loan for the remainder of the 2018 USL season. He made his debut for the club on 23 August 2018, starting and playing 61 minutes in a 5-1 victory against Atlanta United 2. In his next match, Konate provided an assist for one of FC Cincinnati's goals in a 2-1 win against the Tampa Bay Rowdies. He concluded the 2018 season with five appearances for FC Cincinnati before returning to his parent club, SPAL.

2.3. GIF Sundsvall

On 27 February 2019, Konate returned to Swedish football, signing with GIF Sundsvall for the remainder of the 2019 season. He made his debut on 14 April 2019, starting in a left-midfield position and assisting a goal for Maic Sema in a 3-1 loss against IF Elfsborg. Throughout his time at GIF Sundsvall, Konate quickly established himself as a regular starter, rotating between the left-midfield and left-back positions. His first Allsvenskan goal for the club came on 29 May 2019, against his former team, Malmö FF, in a 2-1 defeat. He followed this by assisting the opening goal in a 1-1 draw against Östersund.

Despite his contributions, Konate was unable to prevent GIF Sundsvall from being relegated, as the club finished 19th in the league. He suffered an injury on 26 October 2019 during a match against Helsingborg, which led to his substitution in the 18th minute in a 2-1 loss. By the end of the 2019 season, Konate had made 26 appearances and scored once across all competitions. Following the expiration of his contract, he was released by the club.

2.4. Jönköpings Södra

On 15 July 2020, Konate signed with Superettan club Jönköping Södra. He made his debut for the club on 25 July 2020, starting the match and assisting Jönköping Södra's second goal in a 2-0 victory over IK Brage. Since joining, Konate made nine starts for the team, playing primarily in the left-midfield position. His first goal for Jönköping Södra came on 5 September 2020, in a 3-0 win against AFC Eskilstuna. This match also marked his last appearance for the club.

2.5. Rosenborg

On 9 September 2020, Konate signed a short-term contract with Norwegian Eliteserien side Rosenborg for the remainder of the season. He made his debut for the club on 20 September 2020, starting at left-back in a 2-1 victory against FK Haugesund. Konate quickly established himself in the starting eleven, consistently playing in the left-back position. He scored his first goal for Rosenborg on 25 October 2020, contributing to a 2-1 win against Sarpsborg 08. By the end of the 2020 season, Konate had made 13 appearances and scored one goal across all competitions. On 29 December 2020, he was released by Rosenborg following the expiration of his contract.

2.6. Botev Plovdiv

Konate joined Botev Plovdiv in the Bulgarian First League for the 2020-21 season, where he continued to contribute as a left-back. During his tenure, he played a significant role in the team's defensive efforts and occasionally found the back of the net. In the 2020-21 season, he made 15 appearances and scored 1 goal. His performance continued into the 2021-22 season, where he appeared in 27 matches, scoring 4 goals. In the 2022-23 season, he made 24 appearances and scored 2 goals. In total for Botev Plovdiv, Konate played in 66 matches and scored 7 goals.

2.7. Nea Salamina Famagusta

For the 2023-24 season, Konate played for Nea Salamina Famagusta in the Cypriot First Division. During his time with the Cypriot club, he made 19 league appearances and participated in 2 cup matches, contributing to the team's efforts without scoring a goal.

2.8. Spartak Varna

Konate is currently engaged with Spartak Varna, a club in the Bulgarian First League. As of the 2024-25 season, he has made 2 appearances for the team.

3.1. Sweden national teams

Konate initially chose to represent Sweden, appearing for various youth and senior national teams.

3.2. Guinea national team

In October 2019, Konate decided to switch his international allegiance and represent the Guinea national team, a move he had reportedly been considering. He made his debut for Guinea in a friendly match on 15 October 2019, starting and playing 77 minutes in a 3-2 loss to Chile.